ALBANY — A Second Street teen pleaded not guilty Friday to two counts of second-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of a 32-year-old man in his Western Avenue apartment earlier this month.

Kymeir Z. Turner, of 583 Second St., who turns 16 today, was arrested Thursday on a sealed indictment that alleges he along with a co-defendant twice his age fatally shot Henry Ferrell during a botched robbery attempt shortly before 3 a.m. Aug. 9.

Earlier this week, city police charged 32-year-old parolee Dwayne Wright with murder and attempted robbery, also in connection with Ferrell's slaying.

According to court papers, Wright told detectives he was in Ferrell's 158 Western Ave. apartment the morning he was slain, heard a "tussle" and saw someone else shoot the Albany native in the back.

A grand jury indicted both Turner and Wright on two counts of second-degree murder as well as attempted robbery, but it's not clear who authorities believe pulled the trigger.

Dulin's office was closed Friday, marking the first day of County Executive Michael Breslin's furlough program.

Herrick entered a not-guilty plea on the teen's behalf and sent him back to the custody of a state juvenile detention facility in Westchester County, where he spent the previous night.

Turner was housed downstate after his arrest because of a conflict involving the case with someone who works at the Capital District Secure Juvenile Detention Center on Albany Shaker Road in Latham, according to a person familiar with the situation.

But once Turner turns 16 — today — he can be transferred to the Albany County jail. Herrick indicated he would move to transfer the teen closer to his family and attorney as soon as possible.

Turner's family declined to comment as they left court — as did kin of Ferrell, who rushed to the downtown courthouse to watch the arraignment.

Ferrell was known to friends as "Black."

Wright, also known as "Weasel", told detectives he had been at a party on Clinton Avenue, where a female friend introduced him to three men, before he headed over to Western Avenue.

Exactly what happened after that is not clear, nor are the identities of the three men he claims to have met at the party. The nature of the alleged attempted robbery is also not clear.

"I was in the kitchen," Wright told detectives, according to court papers. "I heard a tussle, went out the door of the kitchen by the top of the stairs, looked down and saw 'Black' and the dude I saw shoot him tussling. 'Black' was grabbing the dude around his legs and I saw the dude shoot him on his back. I then ran down the stairs and when I got to the bottom heard another shot."

In his statement filed in court, Wright says he identified a photo of the shooter for police and that Detective Jason Vogel later told him the person's name was Kymeir Turner.

Wright, who was arrested Monday on Lark Street by the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force, was initially arraigned in City Court but is now scheduled to be arraigned in Albany County Court on the felony charges Monday.

The case is being handled by Assistant District Attorney Bruce Lennard.

Jordan Carleo-Evangelist can be reached at 454-5445 or by e-mail at jcarleo-evangelist@timesunion.com.